Years ago, wherever you lived is what you ate– you had to go to a special store to find international spices and specialty foods. Now, though, international cooking –especially from some cultures in particular– is hugely widespread, and just about every store has an international foods section. (However, the best quality, most authentic ingredients are still found in international markets.)

Photo by fille_de_photo.

Depending on what you love to eat from your own culture, different international dishes will appeal to different people. Food tends to combines the best elements of any culture, and is a direct representation of the influences that have affected it. For instance, we all consider pasta to be strictly Italian, right? In fact, pasta is originally Chinese, brought into Europe from the Asia by Marco Polo.

The Best in Spicy Crock Pot Recipes

If you have a taste for spicy food, chances are you won’t find much of it in traditional American, Canadian, or English cooking. Instead, the best of it is found internationally. And while there are some great things to be said about meatloaf an mashed potatoes, these sorts of dishes can’t hold a candle to a good curry. At least in my book.

Asian. There’s a very good reason why most Asian cultures eat so much darned rice! With so many rice paddies and producers, main staple is cheap and plentiful, and grows well there. In poorer Asian countries where meat isn’t plentiful, it’s replaced by fish, lots of vegetables, rice, and oftentimes wonderful sauces. Some of it is wonderfully spicy, too. From 5-Spice chicken to Thai curry, you can make all kinds of wonderful Asian dishes in the crockpot. Just be sure to make the rice separately, or it’ll get soggy.

Indian. Food is a very individual thing; but as far as I’m concerned, Indian is the best in the world. Indian dishes are filled with aromatic spices that are earthy and often very spicy. They’re also often great for you, as many Indian dishes are vegetarian. You’ll also find plenty of dishes with chicken, lamb, or seafood. In India, the cow is sacred so you won’t be seeing any beef in recipes from India. But beef isn’t great for you anyway, and when it’s all covered in wonderful, rich, aromatic sauce, you won’t miss the meat.

When cooking Indian food in the crockpot, you’ll use lots of veggies– potatoes, lentils, garlic, ginger, and tons of onions, plus any others your recipe calls for (veggie curries are full of different vegetables). Making curries in your slow cooker generally takes between six and eight hours. Season them with curry powder or paste (paste is tastier!), or go authenic by adding the appropriate amounts of the correct seasonings: coriander, ginger, chili powder, saffron, cumin, garlic, cilantro, and turmeric, among others.

Mexican. While you can definitely do curries and other Asian dishes in the crockpot, it’s almost as if crockpots were created to cook Mexican food. From soups and stews, like black bean soup, to meats to be shredded for burritos and tacos, the crockpot makes cooking Mexican food a heck of a lot easier. When you know the flavors you’re looking to recreate, making up your own Mexican food recipes is easy. Dice or slice up tomatoes and peppers. Onions and garlic are also good for flavor. When it comes to spices, choices like cumin, cayenne pepper, cilantro, black pepper, and chili powder give your dish that Mexican punch you’re looking for.

Oh, and if you want make your family really happy, don’t forget to cover it all in a pound or two of cheese when you’re done.

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